Poker Table Image Tip:
Make Them Think You Call a Lot
Even If You Don't

Poker Table Image Tip: When I say it's good to maintain a tight image in SNGs, I am referring to times when you are the attacker. But when it comes to calling other players' all-ins (when you are the "defender"), the opposite is true. You want a "loose calling image."

So if you're facing an all-in from a player you play against frequently, you should probably be calling ever so slightly more often than you would against someone you don't expect to face much in the future. You want your opponents to both fear your all-ins and also fear pushing against you.

This allows you to win more uncontested pots. Winning the blinds is a big deal in SNGs (especially Super Turbos).

This is the converse of passing up near-neutral pushes talked about the in this tight image article.

In this case, you are making near-neutral calls.

But make sure they truly are nearly neutral calls. Don't make BAD calls. You want a loose image without actually being a loose caller.

So how much looser is "ever so slightly"? For me, it only comes into play when a decision is so close that I am virtually mathematically indifferent as to whether to call or fold. What this means is if it's really really close, I call.

Another way to make your opponents think you are a loose caller is through the use of a reverse-tell known as the snap-call.

In other words, when you do call an all-in, do it quickly! This reverses the "strong means weak" timing tell.

Read more about snap calling.

related article: Poker Table Image Tip: Inducing Folds